Silk Tibetan Dancer's Robe

The robe is a religious costume used in a cham dance performed in Tibetan Buddhist festivals. It is a dramatic design, with two exaggerated sleeves and a pleated skirt attached to the main body, all of which are woven with multicoloured and metal-wrapped silk floss. The material of the body is blue silk ornamented with dragons. Both triangular sleeves are red tapestry weave patterned with multicoloured clouds and trimmed with gold brocade. In contrast, the side pleats of the skirt are adorned with a light-coloured pattern of flowing clouds. These skirt pleats would have expanded and contracted with the priest’s dance performance, creating a stunning effect during rituals.

The dragon silks on the body consist of two different fabrics: a brocade on the top and a tapestry below. On the front of the skirt, the blue tapestry displays a giant walking dragon and tiny dragons playing among clouds behind.